"If you build it they will come."

LUMIX FZ300 f2.8 @ 1/125 ISO 200

It's one of those Sunday mornings when everything just seems right in the word. While I know that's not the case; there are times when we all need to search out that one place where we can enjoy the solitude of inner peace.

Okay, I get that I'm even more off track than usual for a Sunday morning, but I was having a hard time trying to figure out what to write about. My Sunday posts are ALWAYS live and off-the-cuff, and I stared at the wall in my office for a long time. Then, like a cartoon character with the lightbulb going off above my head, I decided to move to the back porch.

I not only found peace and solitude but the trickle of the water feature in the butterfly garden set against the sweet light of sunrise brought out the zebra longwing above. I had a camera close by for a grab shot. I had no goal in mind except to capture the moment and a new visitor.

And, in an odd way that brought me to my initial point, if you build it they will come. I had no idea the joy and sense of peace planting the butterfly garden would bring. We all live hectic, stressful lives, and for me, it's sometimes difficult not to get sucked into the day-in-day-out pressure of business.

The first year we planted the garden we got a couple of Monarchs right away, but it wasn't until this morning, a year later, I realized how much the garden had grown, and along with it, brought in lots of new "tenants." It all left me with the incredibly simple realization it just took time and patience.

We're all so impatient for the final results. We live in an instant fulfillment world and most of the time fail to appreciate our growth, or how life always proves true to one of my favorite mantras, everything works out for the better.

March 2, 2017

June 10, 2018

And, to my second point - we built the garden because we love butterflies, but I had no idea the sense of peace it would bring to our little corner of the world. We all need to step away from the pressures life throws at us. So, while you might not have a garden to melt the stress away, it's so important to find that one place that allows you to be alone with your thoughts, your dreams, and your goals.

So, at the risk of sounding like a hippie headed to Woodstock - wishing everybody a day filled with peace, love and plenty of smiles. Go for those eleven-second hugs with the people you care most about. Most important of all, take the time to give yourself a big pat on the back for all the growth you've gone through over the last year. 

​Happy Sunday everybody!